Patricia Akesson of Bridgewater isn’t giving presents to her co-workers at Good Samaritan Medical Center this year.

Instead, Akesson and her co-workers – about a dozen switchboard operators at the Brockton hospital – will each take the $20 they would have spent on a gift and donate it to The Enterprise Helping Hands Fund, she said.

“None of us really need anything and we thought this was a good way to help the community,” said Akesson, 75, a mother of three and grandmother of five.

The group decided to forego buying holiday presents for each other about six years ago and they have given to the fund annually ever since.

Last year, the operators donated $220 to the fund – and they don’t miss the gifts, said Charleen Whittemore of Brockton.

“Instead of buying gifts for ourselves we’d rather just give it for the children who don’t have much,” Whittemore, 63, said. “We all chip in our money.”

Money for the Helping Hands Fund comes from donations from individuals, schools, businesses, community organizations and from the proceeds of the annual Jingle Bell Run, which will be held on Saturday.

One hundred percent of the money goes to local charities to help families struggling with bills for rent, heat, food, clothing and other necessities during the winter season and beyond.

Last year, the fund disbursed more than $60,000 to charities around the region.

Natasha Goodine, 32, of Brockton, a switchboard operator at Good Samaritan, said she’d rather help people than get a small gift.

“I feel like I’m participating and helping. I’d rather do this,” said Goodine, a married mother of five. “I feel good when I’m able to give to people who need it.”